This explanation is copied from Liesbeth Baartman and Judith Gulikers, found at lerenvantoetsen.nl

In higher professional education, many lecturers follow a BKE (basic qualification for examining) professionalisation programme. Here, higher professional education lecturers learn about, understand and apply “the assessment cycle” (Expert Group BKE/SKE, 2013).

In the “formative assessment” toolkit, the formative assessment cycle forms the basis of all tools (Gulikers & Baartman, 2017). You will learn about the formative assessment cycle and teachers will critically examine and improve their own and each other's formative assessment practices in the classroom.

Because the BKE assessment cycle and the formative assessment cycle are both cycles, this can lead to confusion. This document is intended to compare the two cycles and highlight the most important differences. They have different objectives, durations and planning approaches, and often result in different types of “assessments”. In reality, and ideally, these two cycles are closely linked and feed into each other. This is necessary in order to achieve a coherent assessment programme and assessment practices in lessons, modules and at curriculum level. For example, the learning outcomes of a programme must feed into the basic design of the BKE assessment cycle (step 1), but must also be translated into learning objectives and success criteria in phase 1 of the formative assessment cycle.

On the next page, the two cycles are positioned side by side in a clear black-and-white format to highlight the differences and prevent confusion. At the bottom, the coherence and possible use of both cycles and BKE/BDB professionalization processes are also mentioned.

	The formative assessment cycle	The summative assessment cycle

Goal	Gain insight into student development and adjust this purposefully	Development of a qualitatively good, mostly summative assessment.
Turnaround time	Shortcycle in the lesson	Long cycle in the design and implementation of a module
Planing	Often unplanned, fitting what the moment requires.	Often planned and resulting in agreed assessment moments.
Type of test	Various ways of gathering information about the student(s)	Predetermined and established assessment form.

Connection between both cycles
In good quality education, and especially in a good assessment programme, both cycles are seamlessly interconnect. For example:

Summative assessments (developed through the BKE assessment cycle) can also be used formatively (through the FA cycle).
The learning outcomes from the BKE assessment cycle (step 1) and the expectations in the FA cycle (phase 1) should match. By following students in education through the FA cycle, along these learning outcomes, you adequately prepare them for the summative assessment.
The analysis of the assessment results (phase 3 of the FA cycle / step 5 of the BKE assessment cycle) can be used to adjust learning (FA cycle) and to improve the quality of the assessment (BKE assessment cycle).

The place of the formative cycle in the educational process:

FT versus ST.png

Translated from left to right: Previously determined learning outcomes; Instruction and learning process (insert: formative assessment); Summative assessment. Next line: study programme qualifications.

References

Expert Group BKE/SKE (2013, Oct). Responsible testing and assessment in higher professional education. A proposal for a program of requirements for a basic and senior qualification examination (BKE/SKE). Report commissioned by the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences.

Gulikers, J. & Baartman, L. (2017). Goal-oriented professionalization. Formative assessment with effect! What does the teacher DO in the classroom? Final report NRO-PPO overview study dossier number 405-15-722. https://www.nro.nl/kb/405-15-722-doelgericht-professionaliseren-formatieve-toetscompetenties-met-effect/

This work is licensed under Creative Commons Naamsvermelding-NietCommercieel 4.0 Internationaal-licentie.